Continue to provide your valuable input.
- icedog97

You're down 3-0. Get over it.

Neal running around upsets me more than Asham's crosscheck, or Adams punching Hartnell from behind or pulling hair or whatever. It honestly seemed that he was deliberately targeting Couterier who was shutting down Malkin, and deliberately targeting the Flyers best player in Giroux.

What Neal did, besides embarrass himself, was open the door for some Flyer (like the meathead Rinaldo) taking a run at Crosby. I honestly hope that doesn't happen, but it's a unfortunate possibility for game 4.

I'm sorry for giving my opinion on the game in a public forum. What do you suggest I do next time?

Again, you guys just sound bitter right now. I comment on your threads all the time without these cheeky replies. Why now?
- Blackstrom2

I can't imagine why anybody, that's a Penguins fan, might be bitter right now...hmmm...

I thought you had a good grasp of the obvious...maybe not.

You're down 3-0. Get over it.
- Blackstrom2

I'm not even worried about it.

Life goes on for me.

You asked a question and I provided an answer.

I can't imagine why anybody, that's a Penguins fan, might be bitter right now...hmmm...

I thought you had a good grasp of the obvious...maybe not.
- icedog97

As I thought you had a good grasp of the sarcastic...maybe not.

Seriously, you guys want to (frank)ing gang up on me right now because I supposedly stated the obvious. Grow the (frank) up. I've never trolled your threads before, but you guys want to quip back at me with these cheeky comments after I stated my observations of the game, then (frank) off. Get swept.

I stole this from the Flyers blog, I agree with it entirely although I will remain a fan, but I wanted to see what others thought. An email from a longtime Pen fan...

An Open Letter to Penguins Management
by ozman_fiftyone on Apr 15, 2012 6:27 PM EDT


To whom it may concern,

I've been a hockey fan since I was 3 years old when I saw the US Olympic Team defeat the Soviet Union at Lake Placid. That game made hockey an essential part of who I am. When I was 7, I went to my first Penguins game. Randy Carlyle was captain. Mario Lemieux was a name no one outside of the QMJHL knew. There were few hockey fans in Pittsburgh. I've been a proud fan and supporter of this team and have donned its colors and logo with pride every day of every year since then, even when Rico Fata was on the roster.

Until today.



The way in which to Penguins conducted themselves in Philadelphia on Sunday validates every criticism that members of media and other fanbases have espoused in the post lockout era. We have been called entitled, spoiled & arrogant. Those critiques were turned into indisputable facts with our absolute lack of discipline, class and professionalism. We fell behind in a game with massive importance to our post season and instead of acting like professionals we looked more like a John Stevens coached Flyers team that saw Mike Richards take runs at Marc-Andre Fleury and Scott Hartnell biting the finger of Kris Letang as the 09-10 campaign began. The role reversal is now complete. We are what we hated so much about them.

We are now the, throw-a-temper-tantrum-when-we-are-down, team that we railed against just a few years ago. The Flyers are now the disciplined, professional team. I still hate them but now I am also completely embarrassed to have the Penguins logo on the front of my sweater as I type this.

“We, as a league, must do a better job of protecting the integrity of the game and the safety of our players. We must make it clear that those kinds of actions will not be tolerated and will be met with meaningful disciplinary action." - Mario Lemieux in reference to NHL's lack of action for Islander's Goonery vs Penguins

I challenge Mario Lemieux to publicly apologize to not only the Flyers, but to the NHL for marring the great spectacle that is the Stanley Cup Playoffs with the childishness the Penguins as a team portrayed on Sunday. Mr. Lemieux wasted no time in chastising a New York Islanders team only a year ago for very similar conduct against our own players. If no apology is forthcoming in some fashion the Penguins organization will additionally look like hypocrites on top of the embarrassed and arrogant hockey club, they are undoubtedly, as they walk off of Wells Fargo Center ice.

I hope everyone in the upper levels of the Penguins Organization heard the chant that went up repeatedly today. "You can't beat us" That is a factual statement, as long as we continue to approach the game in the same way we have recently.

The Penguins have acted like an entitled, too cool for your club publicly for some time now, even to it's own fans at times. That mentality is pervasive and has bled into the on ice product. We looked like the Flyers today and we never want to look like the goon-Flyers team we all criticized and detested for years, ever again.

The failure of the players to control themselves, the coaches to control the players is now up to you to correct at a management level. The Penguins players and coaches that took part in the game today took a muddy boot and stepped on the legacy of the logo on the front of the sweater. They embarrassed the franchise and everyone who's ever worn its uniform, our city, and all of their fans.

As I thought you had a good grasp of the sarcastic...maybe not.

Seriously, you guys want to (frank)ing gang up on me right now because I supposedly stated the obvious. Grow the (frank) up. I've never trolled your threads before, but you guys want to quip back at me with these cheeky comments after I stated my observations of the game, then (frank) off. Get swept.
- Blackstrom2

Oh...now who's upset??

Oh...now who's upset??
- icedog97

You got me man? Go to bed.

cheer up everyone!

http://www.youtube.com/wa...g&feature=player_embedded

Really? It seems the same to me after each of the 3 games.
- nhindian

there was a lot less BS when i visited the other day.

(of course there are a few different names here today too)

cheer up everyone!

http://www.youtube.com/wa...g&feature=player_embedded
- nhindian

cheer up everyone!

http://www.youtube.com/wa...g&feature=player_embedded
- nhindian

That ottawa ghost guy has some beauties. He is ruthless when it comes to Heatley.

Interesting that both coaches took the high road in the post game press conferences...I read where the league kinda put a gag order on them...fines would be handed down...not too surprising I guess.

Now the tough part comes for the Pens...how to pick up the pieces?

3 Playoff exits...all of them considered to be 'early'...even throwing in the TB series...makes you wonder if the problems run deeper.

Scratch that...they MUST run deeper.

This is a team in disarray...and there's are no answers in sight.
- icedog97

Yea they did but guess what... Sidney Crosby didn't. Crosby is the ONLY person after this game to go running his mouth. "I don't like any of them, what was I suppose to do picks his glove up for him?"

STFU Crosby.

http://thepensblog.com/tp...odcast-april-15-2012.html
Worth a listen, it is admittedly long. They raise an interesting point about a leadership difference between this team and the 09 team. Basically they say there is no Guerin/Gonchar/Boucher/etc veteran leader to grab a guy like Letang or Neal and say "what the (frank) are you doing".
- Rawdog9755

good listen.

Yea they did but guess what... Sidney Crosby didn't. Crosby is the ONLY person after this game to go running his mouth. "I don't like any of them, what was I suppose to do picks his glove up for him?"

STFU Crosby.
- Flyers2821

I think the brass was warned... I guess players can say what they like.

Look at it this way...if things go as they have, you'll get the best STFU you can hope for on Wednesday night.

Neal running around upsets me more than Asham's crosscheck, or Adams punching Hartnell from behind or pulling hair or whatever. It honestly seemed that he was deliberately targeting Couterier who was shutting down Malkin, and deliberately targeting the Flyers best player in Giroux.

What Neal did, besides embarrass himself, was open the door for some Flyer (like the meathead Rinaldo) taking a run at Crosby. I honestly hope that doesn't happen, but it's a unfortunate possibility for game 4.
- FlyerGuy

I was surprised and very disappointed that Neal would stoop to that level. The refs should have tossed him out for that first hit. Not sure what the thought process was allowing that to keep boiling. Emotions were already high why continue to put gas on it by keeping him in the game. Fortunately Schenn was able to return from the cheap hit by Asham. Don't need that crap in the NHL.

Very embarrassing to sit and watch your favorite team resort to that stuff.

I don't know if the Flyers will take a run at Crosby because they've got the series in hand so I don't know if they want to risk a suspension to a player. To me it wouldn't be worth it now next year will be a different story though.

I think the brass was warned... I guess players can say what they like.

Look at it this way...if things go as they have, you'll get the best STFU you can hope for on Wednesday night.
- icedog97

Wish the linesman didn't jump in and save Crosby from the beating he was about to get by G...

Wish the linesman didn't jump in and save Crosby from the beating he was about to get by G...
- Flyers2821

I like Giroux...but beating?

Would have probably been a pretty even fight.

I was surprised and very disappointed that Neal would stoop to that level. The refs should have tossed him out for that first hit. Not sure what the thought process was allowing that to keep boiling. Emotions were already high why continue to put gas on it by keeping him in the game. Fortunately Schenn was able to return from the cheap hit by Asham. Don't need that crap in the NHL.

Very embarrassing to sit and watch your favorite team resort to that stuff.

I don't know if the Flyers will take a run at Crosby because they've got the series in hand so I don't know if they want to risk a suspension to a player. To me it wouldn't be worth it now next year will be a different story though.
- acdc1206

Personally, i dont believe they will. If their heads are in the riht place they'll just focus on winning the series. I know it would give some fans a feeling of satisfaction if they do that to crosby or neal or whoever, but it wouldn't benefit the team in the long run. At this point the flyers focus has to be on winning the series, not getting even.


All that being said.... if neal or someone else decides to start taking a run at aome of our players, expect retaliation in a way hockey hasn't seen before.

Personally, i dont believe they will. If their heads are in the riht place they'll just focus on winning the series. I know it would give some fans a feeling of satisfaction if they do that to crosby or neal or whoever, but it wouldn't benefit the team in the long run. At this point the flyers focus has to be on winning the series, not getting even.


All that being said.... if neal or someone else decides to start taking a run at aome of our players, expect retaliation in a way hockey hasn't seen before.
- fecondo

I agree. The best response to what happened today would be yet ANOTHER ass-whooping by the Flyers on Wednesday. The humiliation that the Pens are going through with their biggest rivals should be enough satisfaction for the Flyers right now. I do agree that if it's the Pens that start doing the same stuff they did today then the Flyers have every right to respond in force. Hopefully it won't happen though. Being frustrated while losing is one thing but it's another thing to act like goons.

I stole this from the Flyers blog, I agree with it entirely although I will remain a fan, but I wanted to see what others thought. An email from a longtime Pen fan...

An Open Letter to Penguins Management
by ozman_fiftyone on Apr 15, 2012 6:27 PM EDT


To whom it may concern,

I've been a hockey fan since I was 3 years old when I saw the US Olympic Team defeat the Soviet Union at Lake Placid. That game made hockey an essential part of who I am. When I was 7, I went to my first Penguins game. Randy Carlyle was captain. Mario Lemieux was a name no one outside of the QMJHL knew. There were few hockey fans in Pittsburgh. I've been a proud fan and supporter of this team and have donned its colors and logo with pride every day of every year since then, even when Rico Fata was on the roster.

Until today.



The way in which to Penguins conducted themselves in Philadelphia on Sunday validates every criticism that members of media and other fanbases have espoused in the post lockout era. We have been called entitled, spoiled & arrogant. Those critiques were turned into indisputable facts with our absolute lack of discipline, class and professionalism. We fell behind in a game with massive importance to our post season and instead of acting like professionals we looked more like a John Stevens coached Flyers team that saw Mike Richards take runs at Marc-Andre Fleury and Scott Hartnell biting the finger of Kris Letang as the 09-10 campaign began. The role reversal is now complete. We are what we hated so much about them.

We are now the, throw-a-temper-tantrum-when-we-are-down, team that we railed against just a few years ago. The Flyers are now the disciplined, professional team. I still hate them but now I am also completely embarrassed to have the Penguins logo on the front of my sweater as I type this.

“We, as a league, must do a better job of protecting the integrity of the game and the safety of our players. We must make it clear that those kinds of actions will not be tolerated and will be met with meaningful disciplinary action." - Mario Lemieux in reference to NHL's lack of action for Islander's Goonery vs Penguins

I challenge Mario Lemieux to publicly apologize to not only the Flyers, but to the NHL for marring the great spectacle that is the Stanley Cup Playoffs with the childishness the Penguins as a team portrayed on Sunday. Mr. Lemieux wasted no time in chastising a New York Islanders team only a year ago for very similar conduct against our own players. If no apology is forthcoming in some fashion the Penguins organization will additionally look like hypocrites on top of the embarrassed and arrogant hockey club, they are undoubtedly, as they walk off of Wells Fargo Center ice.

I hope everyone in the upper levels of the Penguins Organization heard the chant that went up repeatedly today. "You can't beat us" That is a factual statement, as long as we continue to approach the game in the same way we have recently.

The Penguins have acted like an entitled, too cool for your club publicly for some time now, even to it's own fans at times. That mentality is pervasive and has bled into the on ice product. We looked like the Flyers today and we never want to look like the goon-Flyers team we all criticized and detested for years, ever again.

The failure of the players to control themselves, the coaches to control the players is now up to you to correct at a management level. The Penguins players and coaches that took part in the game today took a muddy boot and stepped on the legacy of the logo on the front of the sweater. They embarrassed the franchise and everyone who's ever worn its uniform, our city, and all of their fans.
- canadianpenfan

I don't disagree.

Even watching Crosbys post game comments he seemed kind of pouty about the whole. He was really snide towards the media. I can understand being frustrated, but I have a feeling the fans are as well.

To me it was just a sad day as a Pens fan.

That wasn't hockey today. Pitt truly embarrassed themselves.

I really didn't have many problems with Crosby at all. I was actually surprised to see him mixing it up considering his health issues. The glove thing was comical as a third party viewer.

Crosby wasn't even top 10 in least behaved Penguins players.

On a hockey note, neither team has any sort of goaltending or defense.

I do not like the Crosby talk after the game. I have no problem with him knocking the glove away, anything to mess with someone's head, but honestly, stfu right now. Talk in the room and not to the press with that crap.

I do however like Lavi's comments, normally he talks like a sh1thead, but today's was perfect.

As for the Flyers supposedly going to go get revenge... as we have seen, Lavi has them under his control well, a well oiled machine. He will not let them do that and risk a suspension. As for making it rough, Philly should just keep doing what is working, because they will not win in an injury filled brawl (even if they win on the scoreboard).

I always liked having a bit of a loose-cannon like Asham on the 4th line to keep people from wanting to start crap, but I don't like the shot he gave Greg Louganis there after he was down.

On a hockey note, neither team has any sort of goaltending or defense.
- Mahewman

The perfect summary of this series.

I do not like the Crosby talk after the game. I have no problem with him knocking the glove away, anything to mess with someone's head, but honestly, stfu right now. Talk in the room and not to the press with that crap.

I do however like Lavi's comments, normally he talks like a sh1thead, but today's was perfect.

As for the Flyers supposedly going to go get revenge... as we have seen, Lavi has them under his control well, a well oiled machine. He will not let them do that and risk a suspension. As for making it rough, Philly should just keep doing what is working, because they will not win in an injury filled brawl (even if they win on the scoreboard).

I always liked having a bit of a loose-cannon like Asham on the 4th line to keep people from wanting to start crap, but I don't like the shot he gave Greg Louganis there after he was down.
- ikyan

you honestly think that's some sort of dive by schenn? getting cross checked up high?